Various drill systems such as the so-called jumbo drills are typically used in underground mining and tunneling environments. Conventional jumbo drills may have issues with visibility and may include complex and congested hoses and cables that extend through one or more articulation joints of a boom. The front weight of jumbo drills is greater compared to a rear weight because of the implements (e.g., boom, drill, feeder, hoses, hardware components and the like) mounted to the front of the jumbo drill carrier. Such implement placement occupies forward space and may negatively affect tramming and turns of the jumbo drill during operation, such as within a mine tunnel.
As an example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,436,455 describes a low profile mine drilling machine including a low profile traction carriage limited in height by the rubber tire diameter. The carriage thus can enter a low ceiling mine shaft of less than thirty inches (0.76 cm) and manipulate therein into any desired position a drilling auger positioned underneath and parallel with boom. As a further example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,028,922 describes a drilling machine including a drill slideably mounted on a mobile carrier. However, such drill machines may not provide sufficient protection for a human operator.
Accordingly, improvements in drill system configuration are needed, while maintaining operator safety and visibility. These and other shortcomings of the prior art are addressed by the disclosure.